PROVIDING SUPPORT
Brandon Neufeld, 10 years old, is surrounded by members of Cops for Kids. On Friday afternoon, the cyclists, made up of RCMP and supporting enforcement members stopped in Summerland. Cops for Kids provided support for Neufeld’s family to help offset the costs of frequent travel to Vancouver for cancer treatments over the past year.
(John Arendt/Summerland Review)

Cops for Kids helps family of young cancer patient

Brandon Neufeld of Summerland underwent frequent treatments in Vancouver during past year

When Brandon Neufeld of Summerland was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma last year, the treatments involved frequent visits to the B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver for chemotherapy treatments.

The eight treatments were every two weeks and after the treatments were over, the family had to go back to the hospital for follow-up visits every month.

Neufeld, 10, is now in remission and has to go for check-ups every three months.

But the cost of travel to and from the hospital took a toll on the family.

“You have no idea,” said his mother Natalie Neufeld. “Gas costs so much.”

The Neufeld family had received support from the Cops for Kids program.

On Friday, the Cops for Kids southern interior cycling tour passed through Summerland. There are 34 cyclists and six people on the support crew. Cyclists are from the RCMP and other enforcement agencies.

The purpose of the ride is to raise awareness and money for children in medical, physical or traumatic crisis.

Gail Harrison, past president and grants coordinator of Cops for Kids, said since 2006, Cops for Kids has processed 1,600 grant applications.

In this case, she said the financial burden on the family was noticeable.

While Harrison would not discuss the specifics of the funds presented, she said funding for medical needs starts at $2,500 and rises to around $5,000 for families of cancer patients.

The cancer showed itself as Brandon Neufeld’s neck was swollen.

Natalie Neufeld said her son responded well to the cancer treatments.

“Within a few days after his first treatment, you could visibly see that it was smaller,” she said. She added that there were no serious side effects from the treatments.

Now that the cancer is in remission, the family is working to return to a normal lifestyle once again.